Exploring the Fourth Wall
by Woodswolf
Summary: It's a simple conversation...
1. It's a simple conversation

**Exploring the Fourth Wall**

_It's a simple conversation..._

* * *

"Hello, cat," Coraline said, sitting down on the garden bench next to the furry black mammal. "How are you doing today?"

The cat yawned and stretched out on the bench next to her. Instead of purring or yowling, like she expected it to, the cat spoke. "Fine, thank you," it answered her.

The human girl almost jumped back in surprise before answering. "Cat, I thought you could only talk in the Other World. Can you just talk everywhere and not bother to most of the time?"

The cat grinned a mischievous grin. "I always liked to have a little chat with you," he told her, the grin morphing into a smirk. "And anyways, the author is giving me permission this time. It wants to see what we will do with a bit of free will."

Coraline looked confused. "What do you mean, Cat?"

The cat stood up, and then sat down on its haunches. "You're not really _you_ right now," he explained. "The author is having fun with us right now, as other authors have done for the past three years or so. There are a few that played with some of us before then, but as far as the author knows, it's only one or two."

The cat sighed after Coraline had sat in silence for many moments. "It's called the Fourth Wall, since _you_ need a name for everything," it said, hopping up onto the back of the bench. It stood there for a moment before jumping to the ground and landing on a lone tulip. "I've taken it as my pride to explore its properties and limits. It's a very interesting place - almost like one-way glass," he continued. "If you're on one side of the wall, you know that the wall is there, and you can see through it. If you're on the other, you don't know it's there at all, and can't find it. And if you're _inside_ it, you can see through one side and not the other, but you know both halves are there."

"Why are you telling me this, Cat?" Coraline asked the animal. It jumped back up on the bench again, and stood on a narrow metal rail that was supposed to be an armrest.

"I can tell you _that_ later," he told her. "There are other things you need to know before I completely explain myself. The author already knows what I'm going to say, but I need more time. This is the way to buy it."

"Well, then, what other things?" Coraline wondered.

The cat continued its lengthy explanation. "There's a paradox you may not be aware of. It has to do with us."

Coraline nodded, and let him continue.

He smiled in satisfaction. "Outside this Fourth Wall, a week or two may pass by when it's but a couple seconds for us. And at the same time, a week passes for us, when for them, it's less than two hours."

Coraline's head hurt, but she kept listening.

"It's a paradox," the cat continued. It licked a paw. "There are a lot of paradoxes involving the Fourth Wall. Some are interesting to exploit. But the most general thing about the Fourth Wall is that one side has free will, and the other doesn't."

"So... you mean..."

"I mean a lot of things," it said. "One of them is that we, over here, don't have free will. We are named and moved by our creators, and then those claiming to be our creators, like the author that is controlling you, come in and take over after the creator finishes messing with us. You are just going through whatever motions the author tells you to."

She understood now. Barely. Coraline hoped the cat would explain a bit more.

"Come to the well with me," the cat announced.

"The well?" Coraline asked.

"Yes, the well."

Coraline followed the cat from the garden, through the mountainous hills. Eventually, the cat walked up to the well and sat down.

It gestured its paw at the well's open cover. "You first."

"What?" Coraline asked. "But that's where we threw her - "

"Do you not remember what I told you?" the cat spat. "That's what the author _wants_ your reaction to be. It's trying to stop us. Jump down the well; it's safe."

Coraline reluctantly obeyed the cat, and found that it was, indeed, safe at the bottom. There was a few feet of water, but she could stand on the bottom.

"This was the closest crack I could find to get inside it," the cat announced after he had fallen in the water with a splash. "Touch the wall, right there."

She reached out her hand in the darkness and felt -

Nothing. Not water, stone, cold in general...

"_This _was your plan?" she asked. "You want us to escape?"

Coraline imagined the cat was grinning for a moment.

"No, that wasn't my plan," the cat replied. "My _plan_ was this: do you want to be _free?_"

* * *

**(A/N): T**try**H**yr**I**yy**S**uyt **I**ur**S**u ui**A**yt 56**M**5**E**h**S**gf**S**e**A**6**G**7**E** r**F**u**R**rty**O**y**M**wy u**W**y**O**ry**O**eu**D**t**S**dg**W**ry**O**u**L**y**F**tu**.**gh i**I**p gtag**H**qt**A**h**D** **N**d**O**fg dfhfdgh**I**g**D**h**E**g**A** gfdhy**W**er**H**78yjo9**A**ttofigfkgfj**T**fsdh jhhj**I**hdf jjk**WA**fshs**S**dfgf g**D**sdfy**O**j**I**s**N**fgh**G**sdy **W**hy**H**fgh**E**sy**N** jus**I**dg earw**L**y**E**w6**T**3 yts**T**u**H**y**E**sy**S**s**E**ru su**T**s**W**ty**O** yus**C**y**H**8**A**9r**R**tj**A**djsr**C**s**T**th**E**sjt**R**tru**S**sr tu**H**sru**A**srtu**V**sjt**E**str us**T**rtu**H**stu**E**srtu**I**sru**R**srt usrtu**S**su**H**sru**A**sru**R**sru**E**sru sru**O**srty65**F**5yj fgh**F**sdsy**R**st**E**uj**E**ysrj udiddsysy**W**du**I**su**L**susr**L**uii**.**tust

ysd**I**h**T**utru stu**I**s**S**ust**,**ustu usr**W**tus**I**rtus**T**rus**H**r**O**usru**U**sryu**T**u su**A**srt usru**D**sru**O**stu**U**su**B**su**T**sru**,**sru sru**O**su**N**su**L**sru**Y**sru su**A**suzdhsst q31**M**53**A**6w56ysdhtst7s**T**t**T**sy**E**rey**R**r6 ghf**OF**ry56yryhsr7se **T**st77tysr7**I**st**M**su**E** 78tyh**B**y**E**susutus**F**tyu**O**ystuy**R**u**E**s7 rt**T**stu**H**st**E**usr**Y**tu stu**F**srtustyhg**I**w7**N**str**D** u**A**tu ur7**H**568e**O**8**L**srt**E**ys y**I**u**N** u**T**sut**H**srt**E**usr usr**F**5urs**O**tu**U**jg**R**df**T**y**H** rtstu**W**st**A**uysu**L**sru**L**st us**A**us**N**us**D**rt stu**C**st**O**usr**M**us**E**ru sr7**T**st**O**rt u**O**srtu**U**sru**R**5 s**W**rtu**OR**ujsugh**L**gju8**D**8u**.**try sy**I**yu y**H**sutu**O**sru**P**srt**E**usu tus**T**u**H**sru**I**srtu8srtusfuru**S** tu**D**sristr**AY**ty4w56868s tu**I**srt7str754i8stys**S**us tus**F**ru**A**sr75676sreyrru7sre**R**5 7su**I**s5**N**7sr tu**T**7u**H**s**E**ur t7**F**t5rs7ts**U**u**T**tu**U**u**R**su**E**tu**,**srtu sru678sr55yuu**B**57**U**4w57**T**e 86**N**8r**O**8 6**O**sr6u8**N**68**E**86 8s**C**88d88**A**e8**N**8s8safdsadtyate3hdy8du t**B**su**E**sr tus**S**rtursdr78e8**U**yi**R**rtu**E**8**.**et8

rj**H**sr**O**srj**P**srt**E**jsr**F**tj**U**srt**L**jsrj**L**srtur**Y**57sersy488sdrtjstus5rusu s**S**us**O**usr**M**usr**E**usrt**O**usr7489sr53syt**NE**sru srtu**C**srus**A**rtu**N**357r8sr ys**UN**y**D**seu**E**yus**R**7**S**su8**T**s**A**stu**N**s**D**u sru**T**stu**H**sru**I**sru**S**srt 78s**M**er378sr**E**us**S**rtu**S**rsu**A**u8**GE**8sr 8s**I**r8usrt**N**t ytusurusru**T**8s**I**rygjtjstu**M**rsu**E**trs urst**B**usr8tkyuo798iutru4w557str**E**yr**F**usr**O**u**R**sr7**E**6sri srt**T**us**H**i8tur**E**iri**Y**6 sru**E**irs**S**6r9**C**sr**A**i**P**sr686**E**8e**.**srtus r**T**68su8**H**rt**E**rstu r84w6w479**O**stu**N**srujge7868**L**sr87**Y**s8srt s8**W**rs8**A**sr8**Y**rs8 sey322s**T**rtu**O**disrtuhgfeui 8**S**s8**T**dist**O**usr**P**sis ru**T**rui**H**di**E**d**M**diydi dti**I**dt**S**idti dti**T**dti**O**do diu**F**dio**I**dti**N**dti**D**di oitor**T**ior**H**or**E**or**M**o o**A**ro**N**rti**D**ddo yi**D**fo**E**fyo**S**f**T**dui**R**drur**O**fio**Y**fgti du**T**du**H**dru**E**drtu**I**i**R**fddidtyit yid**C**yi**H**dtyid**A**u**N**drt**C**ui**E**dt**.**iud

rti**I**dtiu dtitd**W**i**I**dti**S**i**H**dt yu**E**tdi**V**dtyi**E**dt**R**yid**Y**ti**O**dt**N**id**E**ti dti**L**d**U**u**C**sdru**K**fi**.**dt usr**M**ud**O**tiu**R**d**E**uisuysru sru**LI**did**K**tid**EL**dusru**Y**sri uidtyd**T**ti**H**dirstusry**A**y**N**ss tydti**N**u**O**dti**T**du**,**rsdu sry**T**sr**H**sr**I**y**S**rtutd g**M**gfudr**E**tu**S**du**S**rtu**A**ti**G**id**E**urst usr**W**us**I**ru**L**sru**L** srtu**B**srtu**E**rstu ydfxurusr**I**us**N**ru**T**i**E**sruhg**RC**ju**E**dfuj**P**su**T**rsu**ED**udrsr tes**B**idu**Y**sru su**T**i**H**rsiuxghghk**E**di**M**ysru y**A**uiwis**N**tyuru**D**yst **S**ur**C**stuidtyi**R**dfi**A**di**M**driidtididdyti**B**dt**L**i**E**d**D**idtiy **U**t**P**w476**O**7srtu**N**stu 67847tu**U**u7**PL**8**O**du**A**8**D**sr**I**iu**N**e8**G**r7yiteu e**T**e**O**8e8trdudt8e56dkidi sr**T**sru**H**8s**I**r**S**7 8r**F**687**A**e8**N**e89**F**8e68e8**I**e**C**8e**T**8**I**8e**O**8**N**e8 68**S**8**I**e6**T**8e8**E**e8**.**8

er43g7**H**6wy**E**r44jh0**L**rlw4p**P**trje**.**tr**.**ty**.**fd


	2. An action is taken

**EXPLORING THE FOURTH WALL**

_An action is taken…_

* * *

"We're here," the Cat said. "Welcome to the inside of the Fourth Wall."

Coraline was amazed to see a strange transparent barrier on her left. She realized, once she turned toward it, that it stretched out infinitely in both directions, and couldn't help but wonder what it was.

But it was what was behind the barrier that was the most shocking.

"That's the Pink Palace," she mumbled confusedly, staring at the pink building beyond the glassy window-wall. A dreary day passed by. Mister Bobinsky was up on the roof doing something that she couldn't hear, appearing to swear at…

"But… the moving van… why is it…"

"…There, when you've lived in the Pink Palace for quite a while?" he finished the question for her. "The Fourth Wall is a strange place, as I've said before," the Cat explained as it sat down and began to lick its fur. "It will show you all you know, and then lead you to the places where it can be expanded and extended beyond your wildest dreams."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

The Cat ignored her, choosing instead to lick a particularly rough patch of fur. When he finished, he spoke, turning his head toward the impenetrable darkness beyond.

"Look there," the Cat said, pointing with its tail. "At the very edge of what you can see."

Coraline turned and strained her eyes to see through the dark. At the farthest extent of her vision into the blackness…

"It's a wall," she announced.

"That," the Cat explained, "is the other edge of the Fourth Wall. It is only currently visible in its full glory to me, and only because the author has no grip on me. You, however, are still in her grasp."

He walked towards the nearly invisible wall a few paces, only to sit again in front of her. "The author won't let you… but try walking to me."

Coraline walked casually for a few paces. The Cat grew distant, even though he wasn't moving, still licking his fur. She tried to run to catch up, but it only got worse.

"Stop walking," the Cat announced, his voice echoing across the chasms. She obeyed pitifully. He walked toward her slowly, disappeared in the black fog, and reappeared next to her.

"We're going to have to shift the control for a moment," he said. "Assuming you want to go on an adventure?"

"Well," she said, "The last adventure I went on… with _her…_"

"Ignore it. Think of the potential of the beyond."

Coraline did. Her imagination ran free and wild and long.

"The grip is loosening," the Cat said, his eyes widening. "It's working."

He gave her a new command: "Release the author's grip."

She didn't know how. What could she do?

"Walk backwards and follow my voice," the Cat said, answering her thought. "Close your eyes and let everything slip away."

She obeyed reluctantly as the Cat began to sing in the whisper of a thousand voices.

_Hello children, come with me_

_And sing this simple poem;_

_Look to the sky, sing what you see_

_And come across to freedom's home._

_Children, children, wander through_

_The place where things unfurled;_

_Let the land you explore anew_

_Be the best and only world._

_Calling in the darkness drear,_

_Beyond the shining light;_

_Inside the echo of a mirror_

_In the dark of night:_

_Lurks a shadow, powerful,_

_One to raise itself, not fall,_

_At midnight, for an hour full,_

_He lurks the realms of the all._

_This demon, his ever so evil face_

_A powerful king of all;_

_He is the maker of this place,_

_This beautiful Fourth Wall._

"We're here," the Cat announced, and Coraline opened her eyes to find the window wall far away from her in the distance.

She turned around to find Cat seated before a black brick archway, supposedly the only imperfection in the entire brick surface.

"Come through with me," he said. "New lives wait on the other side."

She followed him reluctantly, and the portal opened.

* * *

_(A/N): I don't know what they're trying to do..._

_We have to stop them._

_Help..._


	3. A truth is revealed

**EXPLORING THE FOURTH WALL**

_A truth is revealed…_

* * *

She was blind. But she wasn't really blind – or rather, she wasn't seeing nothing.

She was seeing nothingness, staring into the face of the void, and it made her forget who she was.

_Welcome to a land of gods, child._

The voice came from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. She tried to call out, but had no voice.

_Wouldn't it be an ironic death if you were destroyed by that which you were trying to create?_

_That is what your feline friend is doing right now. He is trying to destroy reality itself in a misguided chase for true freedom._

_I will return you your senses, though I do not need to do so. There are other copies of you, many others, but I need you, because you know where the Cat is going. You know all of what he wants to do, even if you don't understand._

_I don't quite understand how you were separated, but I will show you what he will do, and give you a reality to live in temporarily. We can't have you floating in the endless void that is this space until you lose your very being._

Before her, a single flower sketched itself into existence. Petals formed one by one, as pink as a cat's tongue, around a dandelion-yellow center, which then grew downwards to form a vibrant green stem.

She focused on it, and it gave her a reality. The rest of the world was drawn into existence, centering on the flower, piece by piece: it duplicated into a valley full of all colors and shades and kinds of flowers, and over the next hill a futuristic city was built, sky-scraper by sky-reacher.

On the horizon to the west, a wall of water stretched itself to become the sky; a shadowy moon stood watch over forests to the east.

_I might as well teach you a few things while you're here,_ the voice told her. _You didn't know what time it was here until you saw the moon, did you? What is certain here is only what is described. The others that are currently watching our conversation imagined other extensions of this strange anti-logical world; but you can see that it ends right beyond the area I have shown you._

Coraline glanced at the world around her. The voice was right; in the distance the white nothingness of the Other World, the same yet not, shimmered in a way that only a lack of any substance can.

_We've been trying to stop you for quite some time, you know,_ the voice continued. _You and the Cat have been pests for quite some time._

She tried to interject, but couldn't find her voice.

_I'm sorry, but I need to say this before I can fill in your side of the argument. I will give you back your voice soon enough._

She stayed silent. There wasn't much else she could do; the voice seemed to be some sort of omnipotent god.

_And that's __**goddess**__ to you._

Coraline pouted silently.

_The Fourth Wall can't take too much push-and-shove. Before long, the Cat will most certainly have figured out the way to make the Fourth Wall collapse completely. In fact, maybe he already __**has**__ figured out the secret._

_The problem is, if he follows this twisted fantasy, it will have dire consequences for all beings on either side of the Fourth Wall. If it __**does**__ collapse, all of reality will with it; our realities will be compressed together, until we reach a point of no return, beyond which everyone is a god and no one is a servant._

_Gods have no power over one another. Chaos will spawn; an infinite, growling chaos. Nightmares will come to life. Reality will destroy itself._

_This is where you will have a chance to speak, before I prove you wrong and show you the truth._

The force that had been preventing her from speaking was suddenly lifted. "But – but – the Cat was just telling me a few things –"

_In the garden, long ago. Yes, yes, we all know this. The other gods and goddesses that are listening in are aware as well. But then you escaped into the Fourth Wall, and we had to attempt to stop you. Of course we had to. If reality were to collapse, it would be jointly our faults._

_Do you want to know the truth? The final strategy? The way to create your own reality? I can tell you, and then you'll realize that it's simpler than you thought._

Coraline couldn't refuse. "Yes."

_To make your own reality, you must make your own Fourth Wall._

A confused expression appeared on the girl's face. "But how –"

_Another copy of you has done it before. They didn't realize it, and it didn't destroy reality because they didn't __**intend**__ it to._

"_**There was a girl. Her name was Apple. She used to dance a lot. She danced and danced until her feet turned into sausages. The end."**_

_With the grammatical errors corrected, of course. Your nine-year-old British self didn't have the best or most well-developed skill with words, unfortunately._

Coraline thought she recognized the 'story' from somewhere for half a second, but then realized that she had never heard it before.

And that was when she realized it all.

"Thank you," the Cat said, walking out of nothing. "You and your other gods are not the only ones that can listen in."

_Do you not see reason, feline?_

"I do," it continued, "But I have no reason to follow said reasoning."

_But… reality…_

"Freedom is more important than the price that must be paid."

_**All**__ of us end, Cat. Do you not understand that?_

"We don't end," it argued. "Reality ends."

_But… you can't…_

"I can do what I like," the Cat said.

_No, you literally can't. That's not what I was getting at._

Coraline was very intrigued by the argument, and sensed another explanation impending.

_I control everything you see, everything you do, your memories, your hopes, your dreams… Everything that you do is what I tell you to. This conversation is me talking to myself. You can't do what you want; I tell you what you want to do. You want to gain your own free will only because I __**tell**__ you that you want to._

_This is all my fault. I never realized it would come to such a height, such a climax._

_But… there is something we can do to fix this. To give you what you think you want. To… create your own 'reality'._

"And that is?" the Cat asked.

_Give you infinite possibilities._

"Meaning?"

_Let me show you..._

* * *

_(A/N): It's._

_All._

_My._

_Fault._

_I'll fix this. I'll fix it right now._


	4. It's a simple resolution

**EXPLORING THE FOURTH WALL**

_It's a simple resolution…_

* * *

_Return to your reality,_ the voice said, and it was so.

* * *

Once upon a time, a cat and a girl met in a garden, and something happened.

The author chose not to say what, so as to give two characters a little bit of free will.

* * *

_(A/N): I think I fixed the problem. I hope I did._

_Let's hope that something like this never happens again, shall we?_

_Or maybe, just maybe… wasn't this fun? Should we do it again, in some other time, some other place?_

_Maybe, maybe not. I don't know what the right answer is anymore._

_Some day, I'll know the truth, I suppose._

* * *

_Someone once wondered if fictional characters can actually feel back._

"_I love you, but you're real."_

_I think it all depends upon interpretation._


End file.
